The Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program

The Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) is a multidisciplinary program established to provide timely environmental information for decisions on offshore oil and gas development. One of OCSEAP´s primary tasks is to provide information on the transport of pollutants in the marine environment. OCSEAP´s science program is reviewed in relation to this task. Utilization of OCSEAP´s extensive physical oceanographic data base to develop numerical models for calculation of spilled oil trajectories is discussed. Present and planned physical oceanographic studies and their goals are described.